Report Faults State Environmental Regulators

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BUFFALO, N.Y. - Drastic staffing cuts have limited the Department of Environmental Conservation's ability to enforce environmental laws, according to a new report from Environmental Advocates of New York.

The report is critical of the DEC's recent track record on inspections and enforcement. The nonprofit's report shows how environmental enforcement in New York is on the decline because of staffing cuts and that the state is becoming too reliant on self-reporting data from the industries it regulates.

"This arrangement places the onus on permit holders to voluntarily disclose violations, some of which can be costly to correct," the report states.

To boost its case, the group cited two DEC regulatory failures, one of which is the Tonawanda Coke case.